Odongo naApiyo oya kala moshilando yo nahe. Oya li ya hala nokuhalelela efudho li thike. Hamolwaashoka owala kutya osikola oya li ya fudha, ihe unene omolwaashoka ohaa ka talela po yinakulu. Yinakulu okwa kala momukunda gwomakwatelo goohi ngoka gu li popepi netale enene.
Odongo and Apiyo lived in the city with their father.
They looked forward to the holidays. Not just because school was closed, but because they went to visit their grandmother. She lived in a fishing village near a large lake.
Odongo naApiyo oya li ya nyanyukwa, oshoka olya li ishewe ethimbo lyoku ka talela po yinakulu. Uusiku wa tetekela esiku lyokuya, oya longele oondjato dhawo noyi ilongekidhile olweendo olule okuya komukunda hoka ku na yinakulu. Oya li ya londokwa koomposi noya popi kombinga yefudho lyawo uusiku auhe.
Odongo and Apiyo were excited because it was time to visit their grandmother again.
The night before, they packed their bags and got ready for the long journey to her village. They could not sleep and talked the whole night about the holiday.
Ongula onene yesiku lya landula, oya londo moshihauto shahe ya ye koshilongo. Oye ende poondundu taa pitilile iinamwenyo nomapya omanene gotee. Oya yalula iinamwenyo e taa imbi omaimbilo.
Early the next morning, they left for the village in their father’s car.
They drove past mountains, wild animals and tea plantations. They counted cars and sang songs.
Konima yethimbo aanona mbaka oya vulwa e taa kotha.
After a while, the children were tired and fell asleep.
Odongo naApiyo oya pendulwa kuhe sho ya thiki komukunda. Oya adha omukulupe Nyar-Kanyada a kuutumba poshiyala kohi yomuti. Nyar-Kanyada ndyoka tali ti “okakadhona kaantu yaKanyada” melaka lyOshiluo. Okwa li omukulukadhi omwaanawa nomunankondo.
Father woke up Odongo and Apiyo as they arrived in the village.
They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree.
Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.
Nyar-Kanyada okwe ya hambelele e te ya ithana ya ye megumbo. Okwa li a nyanyukwa ta imbi ye ta tanta nondunda ayihe. Aatekulu oya li ya shambukwa moku mu pa omagano ngoka ye mu etele okuza koshilando. “Patulula omagano gandje tango,” Odongo ta ti. “Aawe ogandje tango!” Apiyo osho a ti.
Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy.
Her grandchildren were excited to give her the presents they brought from the city.
“First open my gift,” said Odongo.
“No, my gift first!” said Apiyo.
Konima sho a patulula omagano okwe ya pandula noku ya halela omayambeko pamuthigululwakalo gwawo.
After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
Konima Odongo naApiyo oya yi pondje. Oya li taa tidha uumbilimbili nuudhila.
Then Odongo and Apiyo went outside. They chased butterflies and birds.
Oya londo komiti, e taa ishamine nomeya gometale.
They climbed trees and splashed in the water of the lake.
Sho kwa luudha oya galukile megumbo ye ye kuulalelo. Manga inaa ya mana okulya oya gu ontundulu koomposi!
When it was dark they returned to the house for dinner. Before they could finish eating, they were falling asleep!
Esiku lya landula he okwa shuna koshilando e te ya thigi po nayinakulu Nyar-Kanyada.
The next day, the children’s father drove back to the city leaving them with Nyar-Kanyada.
Odongo naApiyo oya kwatha yinakulu miilonga ayihe yomegumbo. Ohaa ka teka omeya noku ka tyaya iikuni. Ohaa gongele omayi koshikuku shoondjuhwa noku ka konga iikwamboga koshikunino.
Odongo and Apiyo helped their grandmother with household chores. They fetched water and firewood. They collected eggs from the chickens and picked greens from the garden.
Nyar-Kanyada okwa longo aatekulu okuteleka oshithima shokuliwa nomuhoka. Okwe ya longo wo nkene haku ningwa olwiishi lwomahuku goondunga dhokokonata ndoka halu liwa noohi dha yothwa.
Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Ongula yesiku limwe Odongo okwa fala oongombe dhayinakulu dhi ka nape. Oongombe odha tondokele mepya lyamushiinda. Mushiinda okwa li a geela Odongo. Okwe ya lombwele kutya ngele itaa takamitha iimuna ote yi edhilile oshoka oya li po iikunwa ye. Okuza kesiku ndyoka Odongo okwa kambadhala kaa ethe we nando iimuna yi ye mepya opo kaa ye we muupyakadhi natango.
One morning, Odongo took his grandmother’s cows to graze. They ran onto a neighbour’s farm.
The farmer was angry with Odongo. He threatened to keep the cows for eating his crops. After that day, the boy made sure that the cows did not get into trouble again.
Esiku limwe aanona oya yi yi komalandithilo nayinakulu Nyar-Kanyada. Okwa li e na okatala ke ta landitha iikwamboga, osuuka nothewa. Apiyo okwa li a hokwa okulombwela aalandi oondando dhiilandithomwa. Odongo okwa li ta longele nawa iinima mbyoka ya landwa kaalandi.
On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap.
Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.
Pehulilo lyesiku ayehe oya nu pamwe otee yoludhi lwoChai. Aanona oya kwatha yinakulu okuyalula iimaliwa mbyoka ya landitha.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
Mbalambala efudho olya pu ko naanona oya li ye na okushuna koshilando. Nyar-Kanyada okwa pe Odongo okakepi naApiyo okwa pewa ombindja. Okwe ya longelele wo iikulya mbyoka taa li mondjila.
But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city.
Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.
He sho e ya oku ya ila, kaya li ya hala okuya. Oya indile yinakulu Nyar-Kanyada a ye nayo koshilando. Yinakulu okwi imemeha e ta ti; “Ngame onda kulupa okukala natango ndi li moshilando. Otandi kala nde mu tegelela mpaka sho tamu ka galukila ishewe komukunda.”
When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city.
She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”
Odongo naApiyo oya papatele yinakulu ya dhiginina e taye mu laleke.
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
Sho Odongo naApiyo ya shuna kosikola oya hokololele ookuume kawo onkalamwenyo yokomukunda. Aanona yamwe oya li yu uvite kutya anuwa onkalo yomoshilando oya li ombwanwa dhingi. Omanga yamwe ya li ye wete yokomukunda oyo ya li yi li hwepo. Ashike aanona ayehe oya li ya zimine kutya Odongo naApiyo oye na yinakulu omwaanawa nomukumithi!
When Odongo and Apiyo went back to school they told their friends about life in the village. Some children felt that life in the city was good. Others felt that the village was better.
But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!
Violet Otieno
Catherine Groenewald
Rachel Nandjembo
Rachel Nandjembo
Oshindonga
Level 4
